Tesla Unveils SUV Concept and Production Timeline

Silicon Valley-based electric car company Tesla Motors unveiled its third vehicle this week and will begin taking orders for the so-called Model X today.

The sporty looking SUV follows the Roadster and the Model S sedan. Production of the Model X is slated to begin in late 2013 with deliveries beginning in early 2014.

The vehicle is designed to function as a family car, despite its sleek lines and styling. Tesla boasts on the website that it blends the best of an SUV with the benefits of a minivan. One of these benefits includes third-row seating—a feature that seems improbable considering the relatively small size of the vehicle.

To allow access to the third row, the back doors of the Model X open and fold upwards, and the second row seats slide forward. In the front, the driver will have a 17-inch touchscreen for controlling thermostat, apps, and a web connection.

Tesla did not say what driving range the larger vehicle will have, but two battery sizes (60- or 85-kilowatt-hour) will offer different capabilities, as will options for all-wheel drive and dual electric motors.